India concerned over Taliban thrust: Sharma

India on Friday expressed grave concern over the progress of Taliban in Pakistan saying it posed a threat to the stability and peace of the entire region, while urging Islamabad to deal effectively with the situation.

India on Friday expressed grave concern over the progress of Taliban in Pakistan saying it posed a threat to the stability and peace of the entire region, while urging Islamabad to deal effectively with the situation.

"The thrust of Taliban is a matter of deep concern and poses threat to the stability and peace of the entire region and, off course, the stability of Pakistan," the Minister of State for External Affairs, Anand Sharma told reporters in Kolkata. "This organisation poses a threat to civil order and peace in the entire world," he added.

"It is incumbent upon the government and state of Pakistan their political leadership, their administrative leadership and their military leadership to neutralise the Taliban and other terrorist organisations so that this region can have peace which is an essential pre-requisite for prosperity," he said.

Stating that presence of organised terrorist groups and extremist religious organisations on Pakistan's soil was a matter of great concern, Sharma said "We have stated time and again that Pakistan on Friday is the epicentre of terrorism given the large-scale presence of terrorist outfits (there) and the functioning of the terrorist syndicate."

India, like other countries, was concerned and watching developments, he said.